Apparatus for the manufacture of nitric acid



I P. MAROELIN. Apparatus for the Manufacture-0f Nitric Acid.

Patented April 27, 11880.

INVENTOR: j Wz-m c h/ ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES ".PETERS, PHORLUTHOGRAPNER, wAsmNYdN, D. c.

llmrnn STATES P TENT Crrrcn.

PAUL MARCELIN, OF BLACK ROCK, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF NITRIC ACID.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,027, dated April27, 1880.

Application filed December 29, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL MARdELIN, of Black Rock, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Apparatus for Mannfacturing Nitric Acid, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of the improvement taken through theline as x m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig.3 is a sectional planview taken through the line y 3 Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish apparatus for manufacturingnitric acid so constructed that the stronger acid may be separated fromthe weaker acid as the acid passes from the retort to thereceiving-bottles, to obtain a strong acid suitable for use inmanufacturin g nitro-glycerine.

The invention consists in a vessel provided with two openings in itsbottom, to be connected with two sets of receiving-bottles, an openinginits top, to be connected with the retort, and two other openings in itstop, directly over the bottom openings, and having removable coversplaced upon its pairs of bottom and top openings, so that when thedevice is interposed between the retort and receiving-bottles the weakeracid may be passed into one set of receiving-bottles and the strongeracid into another set of receiving-bottles, as will be here inafterfully described.

A is a vessel, of cylindrical or other convenient shape, to beinterposed between the retort and the Woulfes bottles or otherreceivingvessels. In the bottom of the vessel A are formed two holes, inwhich are secured two short pipes, B, projecting above and below thesaid bottom.

The lower ends of the pipes B are designed tdrepeive the ends of twopipes leading to two setsoilWoulfes bottles. The upper ends of the pipesB are designed to receive flanged covers 0, the flanges of which projectinto the liquid upon the bottom of the vessel, and thus seal theoutlet-openin gs.

In the top of the vessel A are formed three openings, D E E. The openingD is designed I to receive the end of a pipe leading from the retort.The openings E E are designed to give access to the interior of thevessel A, for con venience in adjusting the covers C, and have doubleflanges G H around them, to form grooves to receive the flanges of thecovers F, so that the said covers can be conveniently luted. on.

The hand holes or openings E are made of such a size that the operatorcan readily pass his hand -or a suitable implement through them toremove and put on the covers C.

If desired, the covers C may be made with stems passing up through holesin the top of the vessel A, and provided with holdingcatches, so thatthey may be raised from and lowered over the openings B without openingthe vessel A.

In using the apparatus one of the pipes B is uncovered, and the weakeracid is allowed to pass into one set of the receiving-bottles. When astronger acid is passing over the opera-tor removes the cover F over theopen pipe B, places the cover C upon the said pipe B, and replaces thecover F. He then removes the other cover F, removes the cover C of theother pipe B, and replaces the cover F, so as to allow the stronger acidto pass into the other set of receiving-bottles. When a weaker acidbegins to pass over the covers are again changed, so that the weakeracid will always be passed into one set of receiving-bottles and thestronger acid into the other set of bottles.

I am aware that three-way cocks and branched pipes have been interposedbetween the retort and receiving-bottles for separating the white andcolored acids; but this is objectionable, from the fact that the heatfrom the acid expands the plug of the cock and prevents it from working,so that the separation of the acids cannot be properly controlled. Thisdifficulty is entirely removed by my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In an apparatus for manufacturing nitric acid, thevessel A, having an inlet-opening, D, and two or more outlet-openings,B, provided with removable covers C, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, whereby the weaker and stronger acids may be separatedopenings B, and the removable covers 0, 0f

the hand-holes E, having double flanges G H formed around them, andtheremovable flanged covers F, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, for the purposes set forth.

PAUL MAROELIN. Witnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM, O. SEDGWIGK.

